A shoe tree



A g.s,1950 H. c. m 2,518 261 SHOE TREE Filed Dec. 7, 1948 Patented Aug.8, 1950 A SHOE TREE fioward C. Vining, brocktong Mass assignor toJay-Vee Shoe Tree Oernpany Brockton, Mass,

a corporation of Massachusetts Application December '1, 1948, serial No.64,025

1 The present invention is a novel and improved shoe tree or displayform, wherein a full support is imparted to the vamp or forepart of ashoe when fitted therein, and incorporates a special line of cut andnovel position for the connecting link between the forepart and heelpart of the tree or form. I l leret'ofore in devices of ;thistypewherein a full support is desired for the forepart, with adjustments for length between forepart and heel part of such a form as,for example, shownin my prior and co-pending application Ser. No.766228}; filed August 1947', which has matured into United States Patent2,503,227, granted April 4, 1950, the shoe tree construction providedfor a considerable opening in the line of cut between the front or coneportion of the forepart and heel part, which opening failed to provide afull support t6 the forepart.

Furthermore, the line of out and the flexing er the tree or form whenbeing fitted into a; shoe was liable to catch the upper part of the vamparid particularly the shoe lace, which thus ween 'm'ar the appearance ofthe shoe displayed on such a form. As these shoe trees and forms areveiy largely intended to maintain the shoe upper in smooth, efficient,and attractive contour and eliminate wrinkles, or the like, and thuspresent an attractive appearance as well as an efiicient support for theupper of the shoe, the former construction was unsatisfactory in manyrespects.

I have discovered that by forming a special line of cut on apredetermined bevel or angle between the forepart and heel part,together with the novel position of the connecting link or hingeelement, that prior diificulties and objections to a shoe tree ordisplay form of this general type were eliminated.

Furthermore, an important advantage of my present invention is that theheel part of the form when flexed or rocked on its pivot will quicklyand instantly shorten the last in its lengthwise relationship to theshoe in which it is fitted and, thus, will permit the form to be appliedto or withdrawn from a shoe without undue strain during this operation.

Heretofore most lasts as well as shoe forms and shoe trees of thisgeneral type have had a hinge element, or elements, positioned inproximity to the bottom of the last and in the general line of pressurefrom the toe to the heel. Such a construction, however, after the twolast members had been adjusted for length required the forcing of theheel part into the counter of the shoe to which the last was beingfitted, and tended 1 plain. (or. i2-"12s.e)

. 2 I to unduly strain the upper, stitching,v and style and model of theshoe; A similar undue straining was caused when the shoe'tree was,withdrawn.

In my present invention I have eliminated these prior difiiculties andby means of my novel location of the hinge element and its fastening inproximate position to the front or cone of'both forepart andheel part, Iam enabled to secure a very quick longitudinal shortening of the formwhen being withdrawnfrom a shoe; as well as a quick lengthening whenbeing applied, without unduly straining. the shoe: counter, wrinklingthe vamp, distorting the style or model, or otherwise damaging the shoeto which the form is fitted.

Thus, important features of my present inven .tion consist in the angleof out between forepart and heel part, the position in which theconnecting link and its fastenings are proximate to the front or cone ofthe. last rather than to the last bottom, and the maintenance of a fullsupport to the forepart of the vamp, with the top edge of the vampcovering the space between the -forepart and heel part, thus giving fullsupport and a better appearance to a shoe fitted on my improved tree orform, as well as eliminating catching of the shoe lace during theflexing or shortening operation, while still permitting relativelongitudinal adjustment between the forepart and heel part.

The shoe tree'is turned in any standard turning lathe and, thereupon,divide the same into a cooperating forepart and heel part on a line ofcut at an angle extending from the bottom upwardly so that the topopening will be within the area of a shoe vamp with which the displayform is intended to be used. Thus this line of cut permits the shoe vampto extend from the space normally required between the forepart and heelpart for longitudinal adjustment, and enables the vamp to rest upon thefront portion of the forepart, thus covering the space between the twoparts and insuring protection against catching and damage to the shoelace, as well as support to the top frame of the vamp of the shoe. Thisis an important feature, as will be further explained.

Referring to the drawings illustrating a pre ferred embodiment of mypresent invention:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a display form showing the dotted outline of ashoe to be fitted thereon; and

Fig. 2 is a view partly in cross-section showing the last in flexedposition in the process of being inserted in or withdrawn from the shoein which it is fitted.

As shown in the drawing, the last comprises a forepart l and heel part 2divided on a straight line of cut as indicated at 3 on the forepart and4 on the heel part. This line of cut is on an angle slantingly inclinedfrom the last bottom upwardly to the front portion of the last parts ina position more nearly adjacent the forepart or toe portion of the lastthan has heretofore been customary, Thus the opening of the side walls 3and 4 on this slanting line of cut will be at a point in the front ofthe last below the top of a shoe to be fitted thereon. A typical shoeoutline is illustrated in dotted lines at In. In order to unite theforepart and heel part on a line of linkage which will insure the quickshortening of the last form when being fiexed and, hence, quickwithdrawal of the heel part 8 from within the counter or heel portion ofthe shoe, as indicated atr8 in-the dotted outline, the connectiniglinkage element is fitted to the heel part and forepart at pointsadjacent the front line of the form, as shown. 'I also'prefer to-havethis link element adjustable to allow a rangeof adjustment between theforepart and 'heel'part-to fit shoes of different lengths and sizes. Forthis purpose I provide a link or hingemember l2'havin one end fiattened,as shown at l3, to fit within a narrow soft k'e M, here illustrated asmade in the forepart, andheld'in position by a' pin l5. Thecppositeendiportion of the link I! is threaded, as shown at 8;- and is threadedinto a bored opening in the heel pa'rtin alignment with the pivot 55 ofthe forepart so that when the last form or'shoe tree is in extendedposition within the shoe, the linebf'curv'atur'e and contourfof theforepart and 'h''el-"partwill bein correct alignment to sup port thefront of the shoe l9, thus giving a'smooth and attractive displayfeature on the shoe and. also eliminate anydanger' of the shoe lacebeing caught within the opening between the two parts. .iiA-handle'zlmay be added, if desired, for con "veni'encein inserting'the'displayf'orm and re- 'moving' it from a shoe in which it may be fitted.

It will thus be appreciated that my present novel design andconstruction of a display form, shoe tree, follower, or similar lastinsures a full support to the forepart of a shoe, free of the danger ofcatching the shoe laces, permits a quick shortening of the lastlengthwise when the heel part is raised on the pivot l5, thus preventingdanger of straining the heelpart of the shoe during the removal from orfitting in of the display form, and also providing a novel line of outbetween the forep-art and heel part which facilitates this quickshortening action in cooperation with the position of the connectinglink or hinge. r

I claim: v,

A shoe tree or display form of the kind described comprising 'a forepartand a heel part divided on a straight line plane, said plane extendingfrom the bottom, forwardly and upwardly at a predetermined angle intothe forepart below the top thereof, whereby the heel part constitutes asupport for the top of the vamp, in combination with a single linkelement connect ing-saidtwo 'p'arts,s'aid link having a fiat portionextending intoand'pivoted into the forepart, and athreaded portionextending into the heel part substantially on a line parallel with thefront vamp-supporting portion of both parts when the last is inextendedposition, said heel part cfthe'linkbeing threaded to providelongitudinal'a'djustmen't" between the forepart' and heel part I VHOWARD'CL VlNING.

REFERENCES CITED The following-references are of record in the fileofthispatent; V 1

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Date Number Name" V 11,753,908 'Sbimonelli .4Apr. 8, 1930 2,053,241 Harriman Sept. 1, 1936 2,322,053 'Palardy June15, 1943 1947

